Europe cool toward faster action on climate change : Environment

Poznan, Poland - The European Union reacted coolly Wednesday to calls by poor and island nations to take bolder action against global warming, saying such an effort may be "very costly."The conflict is one of many playing out at this year's main UN climate conference, where some 190 countries are trying to pave the way for a global deal next year to curb emissions of so-called greenhouse gases.

The 27-nation EU says it wants to keep the planet's temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Island nations in particular fear that's not enough to avoid being submerged by rising seas.

"It's a simple survival issue if you look at the implication of sea-level rises," said Stephan Singer, head of global energy policy at the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).
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Obama wants to cut US emissions back to 1990 levels by 2020 as a first step, using binding limits and a nationwide pollution permit system that forces dirty industries to pay.

Such an emissions cut "would be a bold step ... because of the criminal inaction by the Bush administration," Singer told reporters.

UK | BRACE YOURSELF FOR A WHITE CHRISTMAS

BRITAIN is heading for a white Christmas with three major blizzards due to hit this month...
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There will also be blizzards this weekend and on December 30, making Britain a winter wonderland throughout the festive period.

Mr Corbyn said: “December will be a mixture of cold spells and snow storms. In some parts of the country it will be very severe.

We’re certainly not looking at a global warming Christmas.

“Our advice to beat the credit crunch is to place a bet on a white Christmas because it’s never looked more likely.”